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Hidden Road Initiative

News & Blog

Find out what's new at HRI and read what our volunteers have to say about their adventures in Armenia! 

Day Ten - HRI Summer Camp 2016

7/8/2016

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Picture
Contributer -  Margarita Baghdasaryan
My sleepy eyes flatter to the sound of my alarm clock.

I reach around the pillow, carelessly bumping into Asya who’s sleeping next to me, and finally find my cellphone. Its 4:25 am. I’m tempted to go back to sleep but we planned a morning hike with the village teenagers and I don’t want to miss it. I stumble out of my makeshift bed, and make my way downstairs to get ready.
From our group of 15 eager hikers only five of us manage to get up. A few of the village teenagers are already waiting for us outside. I’m the last one to get out of course, once we gather we set out for our early morning hike. The sun begins to rise as we make our way through the sleepy village. One by one the village kids join us as we pass by their houses, and by 5:20 am our group reaches the mountain and we begin to climb. The mountain path is rugged and rough, and the skies are gloomy but our steps are firm and our hearts are light.

With each step we climb higher and higher and panoramic view of the village and its surrounding mountains suddenly come to view. It’s breathtaking, humbling, standing there on the rocky mountain and staring out into the distance with the morning breeze whistling through the mountains I feel calm, elated. The grandness of the mountains around me overwhelm my sense of self, I feel my own insignificants. Suddenly my moment of bliss is interpreted by a loud burst of laugher, I chuckle as I overhear the last words of Samvel’s joke, and continue to climb higher. As we reach halfway up the mountain it begins to drizzle. The morning skies weren’t lying after all. We reach about half way up and hit the road that cuts through the mountain, we decide not to climb any further and instead make our way back to the village by fallowing the road. We need to be back before 9 for our classes after all. As we walk back we begin to learn more and more about one another. Even Artyom who is usually extremely shy opens up; we learn about the village, about each other and also about ourselves. We skip in the rain, and share Lilo’s Cliffbar. Life at that moment couldn’t have been better.

We make it back to camp just in time to prep for classes, having had an amazing start to a wonderful day. 
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission and Impact
    • Team Members
    • Chapters >
      • UC Berkeley
      • UC Los Angeles
      • UC San Diego
      • CSU Northridge
      • AGBU MDS
    • History
  • Summer Camps
    • Summer 2022
    • Summer 2021
    • Summer 2020
    • Summer 2019
    • Summer 2018
    • Summer 2017
    • Summer 2016
    • SUMMER 2015
    • Summer 2014
    • Summer 2013
    • Summer 2011
  • Projects
    • Henry Keledjian Service Program
    • Project Hope (Artsakh)
    • English Tutoring Program
    • Virtual Learning Resources
    • Holiday Backpacks for Artsakh
    • Jrashen Kindergarten
    • School Renovations
    • Tsaghkaber Kindergarten
    • UCLA Toy Drive
    • Heaters & Stoves
    • Computer Classes
    • Sturdy Shoes
    • Winter Coats
  • SCHOLARSHIPS
    • 2022-2023 Scholars
    • 2021-2022 Scholars
    • 2020-2021 Scholars
    • 2019-2020 Scholars
    • 2018-2019 Scholars
    • 2017-2018 Scholars
    • 2016-2017 Scholars
  • News & Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact Us